As previously reported on AFN, some Texas residents are concerned about data centers and their effect on the state's electrical grid and water resources.
Now, Virginia residents are speaking up against a planned project next to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The project, “Digital Gateway,” proposed a 37-data-center-complex that is eight stories high and 22 million square feet, and it will be the largest data center in the world if built. The argument against the center is that the result will increase noise and water pollution, use a massive amount of drinking water, and raise energy bills for the locals.
Elena Schlossberg is the director of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County. She made these comments on Fox News.
"It is in a drinking water supply watershed for the region that includes almost 1,000,000 people. It simply is in the wrong place, and it was done without proper oversight,” informs Schlossberg. “The board of supervisors — in a lame duck vote because two of them had been voted out — passed it in spite of the fact that there was a problem with the simple notification."
She said it would be the largest data center in the world at about 1,900 acres.
"We don't know how much water. They wouldn't disclose that. They wouldn't disclose where the buildings are. We are guessing how much power. We know there's at least 12 substations. We're talking about at least six. We are estimating six gigawatts of power,” informs Schlossberg. “What that means is that's as much power as six nuclear reactors.”
She asked what will these data centers foist upon the community?
“Our electricity bills are increasing. These data centers are next to retirement communities. They're next to our assisted living, they're next to nurseries, and they're next to schools. They are simply consuming too much,” states Schlossberg. “They're taking too much power, too much water, too much land, and we're saying it's enough."
Schlossberg also said that during a recent winter weather event, data centers relied on gas or diesel generators, which spewed pollutants, and made lots of noise too.
Furthermore, she went on to say it's a non-partisan issue in Virginia.
